“What……! Then why would I get stabbed?”

I quickly defended myself.

“It’s common sense! If I were an accomplice, would I have brought that person all the way to the Duke’s bedroom to kill him?”

I would have just pretended to be asleep and not cared whether they took Anastasia or not!

Seemingly caught off guard, Caligo remained silent for a moment.

“No one can know that.”

However, it seems insufficient to completely remove the seed of suspicion.

It’s true that no one can know. It’s maddening that Caligo seems to have already marked me as a person of interest.

“That’s enough.”

It was Cromwell who intervened in this hopeless situation.

He separated me and Caligo.

“No, with the situation being what it is……”

“Lorelai is not that kind of person, Caligo.”

His warning voice was stern.

“I vouch for her.”

“……”

How well do you even know me? Still, I was grateful.

“I understand you’re being defensive because of the spell issue. But suspecting innocent people and threatening them like this is really unpleasant, you know?”

I spoke from behind Cromwell.

It’s absolutely not because I became arrogant after he took my side. Though I am grateful, of course.

Instead of arguing further, Caligo kept his mouth shut.

“You.”

But apparently not intending to let it go, Cromwell turned to look at me.

“How do you know so much about spells?”

It wasn’t an interrogative tone. He just seemed to want to know the answer.

“……”

How should I even begin to explain this?

Spells are dismissed as urban legends.

When it becomes known that a concept thought to be intangible actually exists, it causes confusion, so only those who know, know.

I can’t exactly say: In the game, you kept marrying your daughter, so I wanted to burn off some stress and took the spell caster route, which is why I know more about spells than most people.

‘Don’t overthink it.’

Let’s think quickly.

“My family…… was involved.”

Family issues are awkward to inquire about, and it’s an excuse that can naturally be glossed over.

‘I’m sorry, Lorelai’s parents.’

They must be good people. I apologized inwardly.

‘……It’s not completely untrue.’

It’s not a lie.

Even people who seem to have everything on the surface can sometimes be deeply immersed in strange superstitions.

And they sometimes force those beliefs on others……

“That’s why I know about it well.”

This kind of excuse would lead to disaster if probed too deeply.

Someone in my family was obsessed with spells. I hated it, so I ran away.

It’s better to just reveal this much and claim that I learned the information I’ll share in the future from this.

Sure enough, Caligo became less talkative.

“Ah……, I’m sorry.”

He speaks after all. He said awkwardly.

Perhaps because I took parts of my original life and adapted them to fit the situation, or made him feel guilty, I feel a pang of conscience.

“Well, it’s fine. I don’t contact my family anymore anyway. Oh, so that’s why I know about spells. My family was quite obsessed……”

The words flow smoothly.

I can proudly claim to be more of an expert on spells than Caligo.

“Hmm……, if the spell caster were Caligo…”

“I don’t do that. Things like spells.”

“I said if. Anyway, wouldn’t the light get stronger if you and the object with your spell got closer?”

In the game, when an object with a spell and the spell caster got closer, it would glow.

“That does…… make sense.”

Caligo spoke, convinced.

“Yes, it should be possible to confirm using the evidence left by the assassin.”

There’s the drawback that you can’t openly carry around a glowing object and must hide it, but.

At least judging by its quietness in front of me, Cromwell, and Caligo, these three are off the list of suspects.

“I’ll carry it around.”

“Are you crazy? Don’t carry around an object with a spell cast on it for a long time, miss.”

Caligo refused, saying it was nonsense.

“What happens if you carry it for a long time?”

I asked a question I already knew the answer to. I should pretend not to know this much.

It won’t ruin your life like becoming a spell caster, but it will ruin your body.

Objects with spells cast on them crave life force, and occasionally try to extend the duration of the spell by sucking the life force of others besides the caster.

“These things suck the life force of other people when they’re separated from the spell caster for too long. You’re already frail enough, miss, what would happen if you got even weaker?”

Caligo shook his head and stated the correct answer.

“Then you could cast a magic spell to prevent that, right?”

Hearing this, I offered a solution.

Caligo looked surprised at this unusual solution that he hadn’t even considered.

Not knowing the principle that the medium (button) of the spell glows stronger when closer to the caster, he couldn’t have reached this conclusion in the first place.

“You said magic power can counter spells.”

I quoted exactly what he had said.

“Then couldn’t you create something that… maybe not counter the spell, but prevent it from harming others?”

I spoke as if I had just thought of it.

“If you can’t do it… well, I guess there’s nothing to be done. The Duke could probably ask another grand mage.”

Unlike my words, Caligo should be able to do it.

‘It wouldn’t hurt for the item to arrive quickly.’

Scratching his pride should make him produce results faster.

That way I can resolve this during my time in the game.

Sure enough, Caligo erupted in anger.

“Miss, what are you saying? Of course I can do it!”

“I didn’t think you couldn’t? I’m just saying just in case. Don’t feel pressured.”

“I never felt pressured in the first place.”

Caligo spoke as though he disliked having his abilities questioned.

“You’ll regret saying that earlier.”

He seems to have imagined me applauding and admiring his abilities after receiving the button.

With a mischievous smile, he declared to me.

“I’ll make it within a week.”

“……”

With a final gesture pointing at me with his finger, he disappeared.

‘……He was really scary earlier.’

Indeed, Caligo is only truly Caligo when he’s slightly frivolous.

Catching my breath, I went under a nearby shade.

As if feeling I needed company, Cromwell approached me. Despite my making room for him beside me, he stood directly in the sun’s heat instead of avoiding it.

“Aren’t you hot?”

Only after I invited him to come into the shade did Cromwell enter.

“Do you have something to say……”

I asked while looking at Cromwell.

It bothers me that he hasn’t been participating in the conversation.

But instead of answering, he just stared at me intently, indicating he had no intention of speaking for the time being.

‘I’m pretty amazing for being able to interpret this.’

Indeed, spending time together frequently helps you understand the other person better.

While internally praising myself, I opened my mouth to fill the conversational void.

“Mr. Veros is taking care of Lady Tasha. The knight is also in the library, so you don’t need to worry.”

I smiled to indicate that everything was fine.

“Then there’s nothing to worry about.”

After listening quietly, he spoke softly as if understanding.

A cool breeze blew in. Perhaps because we were in the north, staying in the shade for too long made it not just cool but chilly.

I rubbed my arms with my hands and looked at the training ground. It was so peaceful now that it was hard to believe sword dueling had taken place just moments ago.

‘I should spend some time here and then go back to Anastasia.’

While making this vague plan, Cromwell suddenly entered my field of vision.

I instinctively backed away at the suddenly close distance.

“……I’m sorry about the family talk.”

He carefully broached the subject.

I wondered what he was going to say, but it seems my earlier excuse was bothering him.

Given how sensitive the topic is, he must have been considering how to bring it up.

“Ah……”

I responded after a beat.

“It’s fine. Well, it’s not like I’m in contact with them now……”

Since there were no traces of family for Lorelai, it probably wasn’t a lie.

“Tell me if you need anything. You’re also part of the Cromwell family.”

“……”

He must be saying this because I’m Anastasia’s nanny.

“……Yes.”

The help needed is for my original self, not ‘Lorelai,’ and my original self has already found her own answers… so I won’t need to ask for help.

Still, telling a story I couldn’t tell before and receiving support I couldn’t receive before made me feel somewhat lighter.

“Oh, once Caligo finishes installing safety measures on the button, how about checking the mansion staff?”

I asked, shaking off the strange emotion.

Though I don’t think anyone would be extravagant enough to spend money on spells, one must prepare for all situations.

“They say the enemy is often closest to you.”

“That’s not wrong.”

Though it might not be appealing to suspect the mansion staff, Cromwell gave a rational response.